A bill that could potentially lead to the abolishment of some of Lake County’s smaller township highway districts has passed the Illinois Legislature and awaits consideration by outgoing Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Terry Link, D-Vernon Hills, calls for the abolishment of township highway districts that maintain less than 15 miles of road. Six Lake County township highway departments would be affected if the bill becomes law.

Link said the bill is in response to calls for consolidation and less government, and long-term the aim is to save money through consolidation. As an example, Link said the city of Waukegan could “easily” absorb the roads maintained by the Waukegan Township Highway District.

Link said he is unsure which way Rauner is leaning on the bill, but added that it is the type of action Rauner had been seeking from legislators.

“He’s been preaching consolidation for four years,” Link said. “We passed it in a bipartisan manner in both chambers.”

State Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, voted in favor of the bill but said she has some reservations about how it would work and whether all the issues connected with it have been addressed.

“It doesn’t address debt issues, for one thing,” Bush said, adding that if a district with debt is abolished, there is no information about who would take on that debt.

Bush said under terms of the legislation, current highway commissioners in township road districts with less than 15 miles would have to step down after the next election and the position would be eliminated in that township.

Bush said the affected townships would be responsible for working with the county or other partners to find some type of contract maintenance for the township’s remaining road miles.

It is not immediately clear who would enforce the bill if it is signed into law.

On the Senate floor, Bush told Link she would like to see a trailer bill that would address such issues, and she said Link indicated that he agreed with that approach.

Waukegan Township Highway Commissioner Author Craigen said that although his district contains only 6.7 miles of roads to maintain, Waukegan Public Works and Waukegan Township plow drivers work in unison in some areas, completing roads in each other’s jurisdiction to increase efficiency.

Craigen said most of the residents he’s spoken with oppose the elimination of the Waukegan Township highway district, but that he would take the eventual outcome as it comes.

“Whatever happens, happens,” he said.

Mileage statistics show six of Lake County’s 18 township road districts would qualify for an abolishment referendum under the legislation.

By comparison, some of the largest township road districts include Antioch with 86 miles, Wauconda with 69 and Lake Villa with 49.

According to the Lake County Division of Transportation, two county townships, Zion and Moraine, currently do not maintain roads or receive Motor Fuel Tax funding.

Link said the lower-end mileage numbers illustrate the need for referendum opportunities.

“Everyone loves to talk about how Illinois has too many units of government,” Link said. “This bill would help fix that. Everyone loves to complain about high property taxes. This bill would help provide property tax relief.”

The legislation, which was headed up in the Illinois House by Republican state Rep. David McSweeney of Barrington Hills, would have a potentially more dramatic impact in McHenry County.

In McHenry County, residents can petition for a referendum to completely abolish the township. A certified petition signed by at least 5 percent of the township’s residents would be necessary to place an abolishment referendum on a future ballot.

If a simple majority of voters agree to abolish a township, the township would be dissolved at least 90 days after the election, McSweeney said.